Canadian ports cut emissions with Cavotec shore power technologies

Cavotec shore power systems are helping ports in Canada make substantial reductions in cruise and container ship emissions, with the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) recently reporting that its shore power initiatives are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by some 2,800 tonnes a year.

Shore power technologies, also known as cold ironing and Alternative Maritime Power (AMP), enable the connection of ships in port to connect to shore side electricity to power on board services. This enables ships’ diesel generators to be switched off, thereby reducing noise and harmful emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen, sulphur, and carbon oxides.

Working closely with the MPA and several industrial partners, Cavotec supplied a mobile shore power cable management system, AMPMobile, that has been used to connect a major cruise ship to electrical power since August this year.

The unit is towed into position as required, and connects ships to shore power quickly and safely. You can see the AMPMobile unit in action at the cruise terminal here. Montreal is Canada’s second largest port, and the introduction of shore power facilities is part of a wide-ranging redevelopment programme of the port’s cruise terminal.

AMPMobile first entered service at the Port of Los Angeles in 2011, with six further units now in service in Californian, Chinese, and European ports.

Shore power infrastructure for container handling applications

Due to the proven environmental benefits of shore power, Canada’s largest port, the Port of Vancouver, is also taking steps to develop shore power infrastructure.

At DP World’s Centerm container terminal, Cavotec has delivered threeshore power pit covers and three shore power outlet (SPO) boxes. These will be installed in the first half of 2018. 

Similarly, at Global Container Terminals’ Deltaport, Canada’s largest container terminal, Cavotec has sold two shore power pit covers and two SPO boxes, which will be commissioned in spring 2018.

Cavotec has long been a pioneer in shore power technologies, supplying the first AMP system some 30 years ago. Since then, the group has developed systems that provide shore power to a wide variety of vessel types, including ferries, cruise and container ships, and naval vessels.

The group continues to innovate with, for example, the recent launch of movable cable management solutions, AMPTrailer and AMPCaddy-B, which connect vessels to shore power with greater flexibility. Wherever a vessel is moored, even if ships’ power cables are not aligned with, or fail to extend to, shore power pits, these systems provide extension for safe, effective connection. AMPTrailer and AMPCaddy-B are set to be deployed at four US ports.

The group is the leading supplier of innovative shore power cable management systems. To learn more about our variety of fixed, mobile and low and medium voltage shore power interface systems, which are compliant with all applicable international standards, click here.